Holiday Homicide Hotel

Ningma is a specialized courier tasked with transporting the Heart Bead, one of the nine legendary Zhangzhung Gzi Beads, from a Paris auction house to the remote Chiming Temple in the Minshan Mountains of southwestern China. The bead, purchased for twenty-three million US dollars by a domestic consortium, is believed to possess spiritual significance, serving as a talisman to quell disturbances in the lower realms. Upon arriving at the Jiuhuang Valley Scenic Area during a torrential downpour, Ningma checks into the Molton International Holiday Inn. His journey is immediately interrupted when a thief in white clothing breaks into his room through the window, attempting to steal the bead. A violent struggle ensues, resulting in the intruder falling from the fifth floor to his apparent death in the inner courtyard. Ningma, who has combat training, manages to retrieve the wooden box containing the Heart Bead and reports the incident to the night manager, Huang Caide.

The following morning, Ningma discovers that the hotel staff, including the day manager Solang Lunzhu, claim no knowledge of the break-in or the fall. The front desk logs show no record of the incident, and Manager Huang is unreachable, having supposedly left on a business trip before dawn despite the roads being blocked by landslides. Ningma learns that the hotel is deliberately suppressing the event to protect its reputation, offering him an upgraded executive suite and a bag of local tea as hush money. Suspicious of the cover-up and the impossibility of the intruder surviving a five-story fall without medical intervention, Ningma investigates the scene, finding traces of blood and disturbed moss that confirm a death occurred. He also notices that his suitcase has been tampered with, leaving a fresh fingerprint on the lock, suggesting that hotel staff or other parties are actively searching for the bead.

Trapped in the hotel due to the continued heavy rain and road closures, Ningma experiences strange physical symptoms, including intense thirst and internal heat, which he attributes to the local environment or the tea. Seeking relief, he goes to the hotel's underground swimming pool, only to discover that six transparent, buoyant plastic sheets have been placed underwater to create a deadly trap. Had he jumped from the diving platform, he would have struck his head on the hidden barrier and drowned. This near-death experience confirms that multiple factions are operating within the hotel, aiming to kill him and retrieve the Heart Bead. Ningma realizes the hotel is not a sanctuary but a hunting ground where guests are being systematically targeted.

As the story progresses, Ningma interacts with other trapped guests, including a family and two businessmen, while trying to decipher the motives of the various conspirators. He finds a single gold earring in his room, which appears to be a clue left by a previous guest or a member of the conspiracy. The narrative builds tension as Ningma navigates the hotel's labyrinthine corridors, avoiding surveillance and potential assassins. He learns that the Chiming Temple, his original destination, is shrouded in mystery and may not exist in the form he expects. The Heart Bead, far from being a mere religious artifact, is central to a larger conflict involving ancient secrets, modern greed, and supernatural forces. Ningma must use his wits and combat skills to survive the night, uncover the truth behind the hotel's sinister operations, and determine whether to continue his mission or flee with the bead before he becomes the next victim of the hidden war.